The Thing in the Sky {COMPLETED SHORT STORY}

ELIANA: THE SHOOTING STAR

I lean on the water fountain and frown as I think to myself.  Just another boring day, with boring results, with boring wishes that never come true. 

I’ve honestly gotten sick and tired of working at Pastry Queen.  I mean, they pay me well I guess, and the pastries are delicious, but Big Back Burgers pays a lot more than Pastry Queen ever will, and they get a lot more customers than Pastry Queen does. 

If I work at Big Back Burgers, then soon, I’ll have enough money to start my own business: Imagine Art Studio. It’s going to be a place full of my unique art, top to bottom, and I’ll even teach classes and sell my work. It will hold some of the most fascinating artwork anyone has ever seen, and it’ll be much better than the lousy basement that I use as a makeshift studio. 

The problem is that I’ve been constantly turned down for job offers because I always stutter in front of people. I’m not much of a talker. I applied for a job at Big Back Burgers a few weeks ago. If only they would reply, I think to myself.

I throw a pebble into the fountain, when I see something bright reflecting off the water, shooting past the sky.  I look up and turn around excitedly. It’s a shooting star! This is just what I need! I’ve always heard people say that if you wish hard enough, and truly believe, then your wish will come true. 

As crazy as it sounds, I’m willing to try anything, honestly. I turn my head as I hear someone yelling. A man with a small beard and a plaid shirt jumps on a table. “The end of the world has come! I warned you people that the day would be here soon!  We humans shall pay for all of the evil we’ve done!”

I raise an eyebrow.  The end of the world?  That’s a new one.  I look back up at the shooting star.  I always thought shooting stars were faster than this but, hey, what do I know? 

I see another man, a little shorter than me and wearing glasses, start arguing with the man in plaid.  “It’s not the end of the world you goof ball. Clearly it’s a UFO.”

I can’t see the tall man’s expression, but I can tell he’s surprised. “Can’t you see four-eyes?  Are you blind? Look up at the sky! It’s an asteroid headed straight for us!”

Asteroid? UFO? Ok, now I’ve heard it all. Are they really arguing over this? I think to myself.  I want to interfere, but something tells me I better not.  Besides, like I said, I’m not a talker, much less a mediator. 

I look back at the sky and close my eyes tightly.  Please, shooting star, let me get this job at Big Back Burgers. I really need this because it’ll help me get that studio I’ve always dreamed of.  P- my thoughts are cut off when I feel a tap on my shoulder.  I turn around and see the tall man in plaid standing next to me. 

I wait for him to speak, but he says nothing at first. I guess he was waiting for me to say something.  Like I said, not much of a talker, “So, you believe it’s the end of the world too, huh?”

I shake my head. How’d he get that idea? “Of course not! It’s not the end, it’s just a simple shooting star. Now let me make my wish before it goes away. They always say if you wish hard enough, it’ll come true.  Of course, you have to believe hard enough too.” 

I can tell he’s about to say something, but he turns around.  I flinch as he shoves the short man out of the way and they both fall. 

The short man yells at the tall one. “What’s your problem? Can’t you see I’m doing something?”

I barely hear what the tall man says when I hear a ding on my phone. I pull my phone out of my pocket and see I’ve got a notification. It reads: Application for Big Back Burgers has been excepted.

I almost pass out as I read it repeatedly making sure I’m not just seeing things. I squeal and look up at the sky, but the shooting star is gone. I shrug, maybe it wasn’t a shooting star, maybe it was. Or maybe wishes do come true.